A marine biologist at the Marine and Freshwater Research institute who specializes in whales says that it’s rare for pilot whales to venture so far north, but said that it’s possible that the pilot whales' appearance in Iceland’s waters can be credited to warming ocean temperatures.

“Iceland has become expensive in comparison with many other countries,” interim CEO Bogi Nils stated in an interview. “We’ve reached the size where it could be advantageous to outsource or transfer certain operations.”